


What You Choose

by ThisCat



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Loyalty, Self-Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:42:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24007567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisCat/pseuds/ThisCat
Summary: “The choice is this,” the being says. “You lose your life, or your captain does.”In one hand, it holds out a knife. In the other, a key.And each of them has to choose.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates
Comments: 34
Kudos: 295





	What You Choose

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Zeph, I think, for writing such beautiful loyalty content.

“The choice is this,” the being says. “You lose your life, or your captain does.”

In one hand, it holds out a knife. In the other, a key.

“You’re handing me a weapon,” Zoro states.

He rarely bothers stating the obvious, but this situation seems to warrant it. He doesn’t know what this being is, but he knows his swords are gone and the door behind him is locked.

“It’s a metaphor,” the being says. “You must have realized by now that none of this is real, but I assure you, your death, should you choose it, will be more than real enough. As will your captain’s, if you choose that. Your life, or his, the choice is yours.”

“I made that choice a lifetime ago,” Zoro says, and he takes the knife.

-

“Your life, or his,” the being says.

“Absolutely not,” Nami answers.

“No?”

“I can’t die here.”

“Your life, then, over his,” it says, and holds out the key.

“Don’t be stupid. Luffy definitely can’t die here. That’s why I have to live.”

“The choice is given. Yours, or-”

“I know what you said,” she interrupts. “You just don’t understand. I’m the navigator. Without me, he’ll die regardless, so I can’t die here.”

“And yet,” the being says. “You have to choose.”

Nami glares at it.

“Luffy won’t die here.” Taking the knife, she drives it deep into the table between them. “And neither will I.”

-

Usopp’s leg is bouncing neurotically.

“A key?” he asks.

“For the door,” the being says.

“Right, right.”

The being seems infinitely patient, watching him unblinkingly as he thinks.

“And if I take it, Luffy dies.”

“Correct.”

“How?”

“You are in my space,” the being says. “If I choose for you to die, you do.”

“So technically, you could choose that no one has to die, right?” Usopp asks.

He’s reaching, he knows. At this point, he’s just stalling. He’s been here for what feels like hours, and he hasn’t even started getting hungry.

He’s not stupid. He knows by now the only way out is to listen to this thing.

“You have been given your choice,” it says again.

“Right,” he says.

The knife and the key, the key and the knife. An impossible choice.

“You know, I’m a coward,” he says, eventually.

“Your life, then?” the being asks, not a shred of judgement in its voice.

“I’m a coward,” Usopp repeats. “So I’m way too scared to live in a world without Luffy.”

And he closes a shaking hand around the knife.

-

Kicking the door doesn’t help.

It doesn’t even feel like a door. The walls of this place don’t react in the slightest to even the strongest of his kicks.

Whatever they’re made of, it’s either far stronger than iron or not real at all.

Sanji lights another cigarette and scowls.

“Is it just me and Luffy in here, or are you putting the others through this shit as well?”

“Between these walls are just you and I,” the being answers.

“That isn’t a fucking answer, shit-face,” Sanji says.

It’s still sitting at the table, its hands spread, offering up its choices.

“Have you made your decision?” it asks.

Sanji scoffs. There was never a choice to make.

“Fuck you,” he says, and picks up the knife.

-

Chopper is shivering.

He’s crying, of frustration or fear, or probably both.

He doesn’t want to be here alone. He doesn’t want to have to make this choice.

“Why are you doing this?” he asks.

The being doesn’t answer, just continues offering up its terrible options.

Chopper sniffles.

Then he takes a deep, bracing breath.

He’s a man, and a monster. He’s strong enough for this.

And he’s a doctor. He was always meant to give his life for others.

But not like this. He doesn’t like any part of this.

He’s a pirate.

Gritting his teeth in frustration and shaking like a leaf, he reaches out for the knife.

-

“Fascinating. Would you mind answering some questions before I choose?” Robin asks.

“I am only here to offer you your choice,” the being answers.

She’s heard of it, of course. She should’ve known better than to consider the stories anything but absolute truth.

Maybe she should’ve made sure to tell the crew, beforehand, but, well, it’ll be fine.

“Tell me,” she says. “How many crews have left this place with all their crewmembers alive?”

For a moment, the being seems to be looking back.

“One,” it says.

Robin smiles. “That’s more than enough, then. Though it would have been nice if we were the first.”

“Your faith in them is admirable,” the being tells her. “You are not the first crew to sail these waters while knowing the nature of this place. It has never helped before.”

“No, I imagine not. This space, every choice made here must be a true one, am I correct?”

“Correct. You are willing to stake your life on them?”

“In a heartbeat,” she says.

“And if you are wrong?”

“Then my life is a small price indeed to pay for his.”

She takes the knife.

-

“Your life, or his.”

“Look, buddy,” Franky says. “What’re you expecting here? That ain’t a choice.”

The being didn’t flinch when he hit it point-blank with a radical beam. It’s not twitching now either.

“It is, and it is yours,” it says.

“Ah, whatever. If you don’t get it, you don’t get it.”

Franky takes the knife.

-

“I died once before, you know? It wasn’t so bad.” Brook laughs. “Ah, but I wouldn’t want to do it again.”

“The choice is yours,” the being says.

Brook can tell quite well it doesn’t have a soul. It gives him the heebie-jeebies.

“You’re really quite rude,” he tells it. “Weighing his soul up against my old and worn one. You could weigh the whole world up against him and it wouldn’t be enough. He is the would-be king! You are aware of that?”

“His life, then, over yours?”

The being holds out the knife.

“I suppose I will just have to come back to haunt him,” Brook says, and takes it.

-

This is quite a peculiar situation.

But Jimbei can’t say it’s the worst he’s been in.

Yes, it will end with him losing his life, but at least it’s by choice.

Dying like this, at least, is honourable. Standing his grounds against an overwhelming force, in protection of his captain.

“Your life, or his,” the being says.

“I swore my life to his service when I joined his crew,” Jimbei says easily, and takes the knife.

-

The walls buckle under the force of Luffy’s will, but they don’t break.

The being, too, does not flinch as it places nine knives down between them, one by one.

“This is what your life is worth,” it says.

“Bullshit!” Luffy says. “I won’t let them. They’re not allowed to die!”

“You would rather throw their choice away? Refuse them even that?”

“I’m their captain. They don’t get to choose death. Not for me. I haven’t given them permission.”

The being is holding a knife and a key.

“So you would rather die for them?”

Luffy takes a deep breath.

“OBVIOUSLY!”

-

Ten souls shine in the darkness.

Ten lives, bound to each other.

By deep trust. Unflinching faith. Not a single one of them out of place.

The being smiles, and gives them all back.


End file.
